Dental Hygienist Business Cards for RDH Registered Dental Hygienist Oral Health Professionals

Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs) are the licensed oral health professionals who provide the preventive oral health services that form the foundation of comprehensive dental care — performing dental prophylaxis (professional teeth cleanings), periodontal assessments, dental radiography, sealant and fluoride applications, oral cancer screening, and the patient education that motivates patients to maintain excellent oral hygiene between visits.

What Dental Hygienist Cards Include

Your Credentials

Licensure:

• RDH (Registered Dental Hygienist) — state dental board license; the primary credential and title; requires completion of a CODA (Commission on Dental Accreditation)-accredited dental hygiene program (associate degree minimum; 2–3 years) + passing the NBDHE (National Board Dental Hygiene Examination) + clinical examination (WREB, CRDTS, ADLEX, or state examination) + state board of dentistry licensure; all practicing dental hygienists must hold state RDH license
• RDHAP (Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice) — California-specific; allows RDHs to provide services without a dentist supervision in alternative settings (nursing homes, schools, community health clinics)
• PHDHP (Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner) — state-specific designations; various states have created advanced hygienist roles for public health settings

ADHA and professional:

• ADHA (American Dental Hygienists' Association) member — the primary national professional organization for dental hygienists; ADHA membership demonstrates professional commitment; ADHA member in good standing
• State dental hygiene association member — state affiliates of ADHA
• ADHA Fellow — recognition for significant professional contributions
• CDHA (Canadian Dental Hygienists Association) — for Canadian hygienists

Specialty certifications:

• BSDH (Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene) — degree designation; many RDHs hold associate degree (ASDH) but increasingly pursuing or holding BSN equivalent
• MSDH (Master of Science in Dental Hygiene) or MDH — graduate degree; for dental hygiene educators and researchers
• CRDH (Credentialed Registered Dental Hygienist) — various state and organizational credentialing
• Certificate in Periodontal Therapy — specialty training for advanced periodontal hygiene
• SRP (Scaling and Root Planing) certified — advanced periodontal treatment training
• Laser Certified / Dental Laser Certified — laser dental hygiene applications; Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, diode laser
• Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Administration Certified — most state boards require specific training/permit for nitrous oxide
• Local Anesthesia Certified — most states authorize RDHs to administer local anesthesia with additional permit
• Tobacco Cessation Certified — smoking cessation counseling; AHEC or NDCC trained
• Oral Cancer Screening trained — velscope or equivalent early detection tools
• CDA (Certified Dental Assistant) — some dental hygienists also hold CDA from prior career stage

Anesthesia and expanded functions:

• EFDA (Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary) — some states; restorative functions permitted for hygienists with additional training
• EFDHP (Expanded Functions Dental Hygiene Practitioner) — various state designations
• Sedation permit — state-specific for moderate sedation monitoring

Your Dental Hygiene Practice and Specialty

Practice settings:

• General dentistry practice (family dental hygiene)
• Periodontal specialty office (periodontal hygienist)
• Pediatric dentistry (pediatric dental hygiene)
• Orthodontic office (ortho hygiene)
• Oral surgery office
• Endodontics office
• Prosthodontics office
• Community health clinic / Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)
• School-based dental program
• Nursing home / Long-term care dental hygiene
• Hospital dental program
• Public health dental program
• Mobile/portable dental hygiene
• Dental hygiene education (clinical instructor)
• Independent practice (in states with collaborative/independent practice authority)

Periodontal and clinical specialty:

• Periodontal assessment and charting
• Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) — non-surgical periodontal therapy
• Periodontal maintenance (PM — recall therapy for periodontal patients)
• Supportive Periodontal Therapy (SPT)
• Laser-assisted periodontal therapy (LANAP protocol)
• Dental radiography (full mouth series — FMX, bitewings, periapicals, panoramic)
• Intraoral photography
• Caries risk assessment (CRA)
• Fluoride varnish application
• Sealant placement
• Implant maintenance
• Desensitization treatments
• Whitening / bleaching treatments

Patient education and communication:

• Oral hygiene instruction (OHI)
• Nutrition counseling for oral health
• Tobacco cessation counseling
• Oral cancer awareness education
• Pediatric first dental visit education (age 1 dental exam advocacy)
• Special needs patient oral hygiene management
• Perinatal oral health counseling (pregnancy gingivitis, OB/dental connection)

Design for Dental Hygienists

Color palette:

• Teal + white: dental health, clinical
• Navy + white: professional dental care
• Clean white + blue: fresh, oral hygiene symbolism
• Sky blue + white: preventive health

Back of Card

1. "RDH | Licensed Dental Hygienist | ADHA Member | Local Anesthesia Certified | Laser Certified"
2. "Prophylaxis | Periodontal therapy | SRP | Perio maintenance | Radiography | Sealants | Fluoride"
3. "General dentistry | Periodontics | Pediatrics | Public health | FQHC | Nursing home | School dental"
4. "Periodontal assessment | Laser therapy | Nitrous oxide | Tobacco cessation | Oral cancer screening"
5. "[Practice / Clinic] | [City, State] | [phone] | [email]"

Checklist

• [ ] RDH designation (always)
• [ ] State dental hygiene license (and state)
• [ ] ADHA membership
• [ ] RDHAP (if California alternative practice)
• [ ] Local anesthesia certification (if applicable)
• [ ] Nitrous oxide permit (if applicable)
• [ ] Laser certification (if applicable)
• [ ] BSDH or MSDH (if degree relevant)
• [ ] Specialty (periodontal, pediatric, public health)
• [ ] Practice setting (general dentistry, periodontal office, community health, school)
• [ ] Key services (SRP, perio maintenance, laser therapy)
• [ ] Practice/clinic name